Demonstrators in Cairo demanded Tuesday that Saudi Arabia release an Egyptian doctor sentenced to 15 years in prison and 1,500 lashes after he was convicted of malpractice — reportedly after treating a Saudi princess.

His wife said she feared the punishment would kill him.

Raouf Amin el-Arabi, a doctor who has been serving the Saudi royal family for about 20 years, was convicted last year of giving a patient the wrong medication. Egyptian newspapers reported that he was accused of driving a Saudi princess "to addiction."

He initially was sentenced to seven years in prison and 700 lashes, but when he appealed two months ago, the judge not only upheld the conviction, but more than doubled the penalty to 15 years in prison and 1,500 lashes...

Yikes. What a backwards place. And we think that the Iranians are crazy...

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"There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there always has been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that “my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge."" Isaac Asimov

He initially was sentenced to seven years in prison and 700 lashes, but when he appealed two months ago, the judge not only upheld the conviction, but more than doubled the penalty to 15 years in prison and 1,500 lashes...

What? So appealing the decision is worse than the actual crime? Yikes.

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"It is remarkable that what we call the world...in what professes to be true...will allow in one man no blemishes, and in another no virtue."--Charles Dickens

From the article, I don't read much of anything save for the doctor's wife's insistence, that he was innocent of the charges against him. Still, 1500 lashes and 15 years. Why not just kick him out of the country and forbid him from practicing medicine? Methinks there is something else going on...perhaps more scandalous that the Saudi royal family doesn't want the world to know about. Just a guess. That's the conspiracy theorist in me.

From the article, I don't read much of anything save for the doctor's wife's insistence, that he was innocent of the charges against him. Still, 1500 lashes and 15 years. Why not just kick him out of the country and forbid him from practicing medicine? Methinks there is something else going on...perhaps more scandalous that the Saudi royal family doesn't want the world to know about. Just a guess. That's the conspiracy theorist in me.

Well, they've given you every reason to think that.

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"There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there always has been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that “my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge."" Isaac Asimov

I remember hearing that a sentence of lashings could be broken up into increments over a period of time - say a perfectly moderate and reasonable amount of 250 or 500 every week or two? Does anyone know if this is correct or not? That would certainly show how reasonable Sharia law is, wouldn't it?

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On the spiritual path somewhere between the Simpsons and St. Theophan the Recluse, but I still can't see the Springfield city limits sign yet.

Hey, when they come to NE Ohio and dump their money for the world's best heart care, they don't lash anyone.

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"There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there always has been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that “my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge."" Isaac Asimov

From the article, I don't read much of anything save for the doctor's wife's insistence, that he was innocent of the charges against him. Still, 1500 lashes and 15 years. Why not just kick him out of the country and forbid him from practicing medicine? Methinks there is something else going on...perhaps more scandalous that the Saudi royal family doesn't want the world to know about. Just a guess. That's the conspiracy theorist in me.

Now there's an appointment to dread: "I'm here for my weekly lashing. When do we start?"

You know, it would be scary enough to be a doctor responsible for proscribing the correct medication for the correct diagnosis but when you're threatened with incremental beatings if you mess up... look out Dr. House. No "try something until it works" for you!

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Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. -- Douglas Adams

Well... I got to give this guy credit - he's "dishonored" the king, and he's worried about karate.

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"There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there always has been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that “my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge."" Isaac Asimov